So an organisation who supports gay rights is cynical? I think it’s you who is cynical. And if flogging browers/software would be helped by running gay rights ad campaigns why don’t firefox do it? Why don’t microsoft do it? And if they did, would that also be cynical?

@Eddy2…
…….I find it the best version so far. It doesn’t crash and is way faster than prev. versions. I like the way one can put links on the tool bar etc. What functions are causing problems for you? Also what OS are you using. Nothing works very well with Vista as you will know.

funnily enough chrome works well with vista. I find it is much faster then most other browsers, and have had no problems, and yes i have mozilla as well. Also the advert is not cynical, you are. the definition of cynical is distrusting or disparaging the motives of others. what google is doing is marketing yes, but their marketing themselves as an ethical (in a way) company, that looks after it’s employees, which it does.

I watched the advert last night and so pleased it is there, the message is more reflective of what appears to happening in the US right now. Lots of talk from various states to improve the rights for the all people *right now*. President Obama *appears to understand* though the right wing wield power, influence and hatred.

In the UK it is a different matter, when will equality in marriage happen for civil unions for all people? Can we trust David ‘bug society’ Cameron to care enough?

Great idea….. unfortuantely google is happy to let homophobia run rife in it’s comments sections, regardless of the theme of any video, and runs without moderation. So yeah kids, it gets better, until you scroll down and see a bunch of homophobic comments ridiculing you. If google wants to do this video campaign, it CANNOT use it’s own video sharing service.

the “it gets better” campaign is a nice way for vocal famous people to claim to care about gay rights without having to do a thing to improve rights for gay people. david cameron and theresa may could actually do something yet choose not to. by stating “it gets better” suggests things may improve in the future without there actually be any impetus to do something now.

I agree, planty. Although there are some lovely, heartfelt messages in this campaign, I do think “WTF?!” quite often as it seems the message is that young LGBT people should accept and put up with disgusting treatment at school and in society ‘because it probably won’t be as bad when they’re older’. Why? Why should anyone have to go through crap like that? Why be resigned to being treated like sh*t when you’re a teen? Why not attempt to sort out the problems that cause homophobia and bullying of young people instead of encouraging them to tough it out? Would they suggest that to kids who were at the receiving end of racist bullying? I doubt it.
To me, this campaign almost suggests that homophobia is just one of those things and we can’t reduce it, and implies it’s almost understandable. Well, it’s not. It’s disgusting. I can’t imagine a campaign like this in the UK – “Just put up with getting bullied for who you are because, hey, that’s what happens.”

There’s no doubt Google was well-intentioned when they made the advert, but I do agree that ‘It Gets Better’ sends out negative vibes, and a more positive and inclusive message is needed.

Children’s TV could be doing lots to help turn things around. Some kids’ TV used to combat homophobia and prejudice – but things got worse in the last few years, with lesbian and gay characters more or less invisibilised. For example, with the sexual orientation of Leonardo da Vinci being turned straight (see link below). This was a wasted opportunity and shows nothing but contempt.

I think you have missed the point of the It Gets Better project completely, Iris.

Dan Savage started this campaign in reaction to the high profile spate of homophobic bullying-related suicides, out of the frustration that he could not speak to these young people himself and that for many of young gay and lesbian people, their schools actively discourage discussion of LGBT issues. But he realised that the internet would allow him – and many other LGBT adults – to reach out and speak to young LGBT people who felt that they were alone.

This campaign does far more than any piece of equality legislation that your average young gay teenager wouldn’t know about or be confident enough to challenge. Its existence does not condone homophobia or prevent any attempt to reduce anti-gay bullying initiatives – regular Dan Savage readers will know his feelings and actions on this issue.

I believe that this campaign has saved many lives and will continue to do so.

No, I haven’t missed the point, Andrew. I gave my opinion. I admire Dan Savage very much and his message was one of the ones I was referring to when I said ‘heartfelt’ because I found it very impressive.
However, I still think this campaign is well-intentioned but somewhat depressing. You say that schools can’t lak to young peoplle about LGBT issues and maybe that’s the case in the US (but ALL schools there?), however it’s not the case in the UK (although some schools DO neglect gay issues or do it badly). This is a story about the UK version, which I think doesn’t quite fit, even if, as you say, it does fit better in the US.
But even IF it does fit better in the US, I still believe it’s a pessimistic message and I definitely believe it gives the message that homophobia is somehow to be expected. Whether it INTENDS to give that message, I have no idea.
The answer to the bullying of LGBT children at school is NOT acceptance of the bullying – even if you assure them ‘it gets better’.

Actually An excellent point Iris.
I do feel though that the recorded campaign should have been for the British audience with people the British audience could associate with.
Various accents from around the countries of the UK.
Not saying all, celebs like Lady Gaga fine but it should have been more LGBTQI from the UK not just a direct use of the US version with a few Brit ‘celebs’ thrown in.
There needs to be a part dealing with the bullying to how life fro most does improve and develop.
I think the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign is a good, positive thing in as far as it goes I just feel Stonewall should have put a little more effort into it to reach a UK audience.

And I hasten to add that I respect your opinion about the good you believe the campaign’s done, and I’m sure it’s better than nothing and that the intention is good, and anything might help young LGBT people struggling with bullying – particularly if they’re considering suicide and just find that one kind voice. That’s great – genuinely. But I think the campaign overall could have been a bit more positive and less accepting of bullying. For teens who think that their whole life will be one of being bullied for being gay, yes, it’s excellent to emphasise that it won’t be and that there’s a future, but many teens watching those videos will get another message – ie that bullying just happens and there’s nothing you can do. It’s that angle that I dislike. But again, as I said before, maybe that’s because I’m in the UK where things are usually different.

I read this about the Ali Forney foundation. It’s a LGBT homeless centre in New York. Ali Foirney was engouraged to adress a group inSan Fransisco ” His work brought attention and he was invited to San Francisco in 1996 to tell social workers about the needs of homeless transgendered kids.

“If he saw a future for himself, this was it,” Ms. Robledo said.

He stood before a crowd, recounting his story. Afterward, many congratulated him. But no one offered him a job. ”

It doesn’t matter who does this so long as it reaches out to all those who feel desperately alone because of homophobic bullying and abuse.
The more we make LGBTQI acceptable the more it helps get to those who are being bullied and abused to take note, stand up and hopefully talk to somebody.

We all do love but we’re not taking about YOU here are we.
If you could get your head out of your ass for 1 min.
We are talking about vunerable young people who are struggling with themselves because of how others treat the LGBTQI community.
We all want equality but sadly for you both acceptance and Equality go hand in hand.
Prehaps you prefer to be tolerated but I want young people to know they are accepted from most.
Supported by most except the greedy, selfish souls like yourself who just want to think about yourself.

OK – so it’s an advert. That said, it’s a pretty good one. If “it’s get better” helps just one young person out there – or even older ones – then it’s something we should all support. When I think back to the misery inflicted on me during my childhood something like this would have been a life line.

Well I make videos professionally.
If enough people care to put their hands up, I would be more than willing to make a British version. I think everything said in the videos so far says what I thnk almost all of us have been through at one time or another. I think the message has to be not so much “It will get better”, but more to the point “You are not alone”.